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# DateFormatSymbols

`public class DateFormatSymbols`
`extends Object` `implements Serializable, Cloneable`

java.lang.Object
↳ | java.text.DateFormatSymbols

`DateFormatSymbols` is a public class for encapsulating localizable date-time formatting data, such as the names of the months, the names of the days of the week, and the time zone data. `SimpleDateFormat` uses `DateFormatSymbols` to encapsulate this information.

Typically you shouldn't use `DateFormatSymbols` directly. Rather, you are encouraged to create a date-time formatter with the `DateFormat` class's factory methods: `getTimeInstance`, `getDateInstance`, or `getDateTimeInstance`. These methods automatically create a `DateFormatSymbols` for the formatter so that you don't have to. After the formatter is created, you may modify its format pattern using the `setPattern` method. For more information about creating formatters using `DateFormat`'s factory methods, see `DateFormat`.

If you decide to create a date-time formatter with a specific format pattern for a specific locale, you can do so with:

>      new SimpleDateFormat(aPattern, DateFormatSymbols.getInstance(aLocale)).

`DateFormatSymbols` objects are cloneable. When you obtain a `DateFormatSymbols` object, feel free to modify the date-time formatting data. For instance, you can replace the localized date-time format pattern characters with the ones that you feel easy to remember. Or you can change the representative cities to your favorite ones.

New `DateFormatSymbols` subclasses may be added to support `SimpleDateFormat` for date-time formatting for additional locales.

See also:

- `DateFormat`
- `SimpleDateFormat`
- `SimpleTimeZone`

## Summary

### Public constructors
`DateFormatSymbols()` Construct a DateFormatSymbols object by loading format data from resources for the default `FORMAT` locale.
`DateFormatSymbols(Locale locale)` Construct a DateFormatSymbols object by loading format data from resources for the given locale.

### Public methods
`Object` | `clone()` Overrides Cloneable
`boolean` | `equals(Object obj)` Override equals
`String[]` | `getAmPmStrings()` Gets ampm strings.
`static Locale[]` | `getAvailableLocales()` Returns an array of all locales for which the `getInstance` methods of this class can return localized instances.
`String[]` | `getEras()` Gets era strings.
`static final DateFormatSymbols` | `getInstance()` Gets the `DateFormatSymbols` instance for the default locale.
`static final DateFormatSymbols` | `getInstance(Locale locale)` Gets the `DateFormatSymbols` instance for the specified locale.
`String` | `getLocalPatternChars()` Gets localized date-time pattern characters.
`String[]` | `getMonths()` Gets month strings.
`String[]` | `getShortMonths()` Gets short month strings.
`String[]` | `getShortWeekdays()` Gets short weekday strings.
`String[]` | `getWeekdays()` Gets weekday strings.
`String[][]` | `getZoneStrings()` Gets time zone strings.
`int` | `hashCode()` Override hashCode.
`void` | `setAmPmStrings(String[] newAmpms)` Sets ampm strings.
`void` | `setEras(String[] newEras)` Sets era strings.
`void` | `setLocalPatternChars(String newLocalPatternChars)` Sets localized date-time pattern characters.
`void` | `setMonths(String[] newMonths)` Sets month strings.
`void` | `setShortMonths(String[] newShortMonths)` Sets short month strings.
`void` | `setShortWeekdays(String[] newShortWeekdays)` Sets short weekday strings.
`void` | `setWeekdays(String[] newWeekdays)` Sets weekday strings.
`void` | `setZoneStrings(String[][] newZoneStrings)` Sets time zone strings.

### Inherited methods
From class `java.lang.Object`
`Object` | `clone()` Creates and returns a copy of this object.
`boolean` | `equals(Object obj)` Indicates whether some other object is "equal to" this one.
`void` | `finalize()` Called by the garbage collector on an object when garbage collection determines that there are no more references to the object.
`final Class<?>` | `getClass()` Returns the runtime class of this `Object`.
`int` | `hashCode()` Returns a hash code value for the object.
`final void` | `notify()` Wakes up a single thread that is waiting on this object's monitor.
`final void` | `notifyAll()` Wakes up all threads that are waiting on this object's monitor.
`String` | `toString()` Returns a string representation of the object.
`final void` | `wait(long timeout, int nanos)` Causes the current thread to wait until another thread invokes the `notify()` method or the `notifyAll()` method for this object, or some other thread interrupts the current thread, or a certain amount of real time has elapsed.
`final void` | `wait(long timeout)` Causes the current thread to wait until either another thread invokes the `notify()` method or the `notifyAll()` method for this object, or a specified amount of time has elapsed.
`final void` | `wait()` Causes the current thread to wait until another thread invokes the `notify()` method or the `notifyAll()` method for this object.

## Public constructors

### DateFormatSymbols

    public DateFormatSymbols ()

Construct a DateFormatSymbols object by loading format data from resources for the default `FORMAT` locale. It is recommended that the `getInstance` method is used instead.

This is equivalent to calling `DateFormatSymbols(Locale.getDefault(Locale.Category.FORMAT))`.

Throws
`MissingResourceException` | if the resources for the default locale cannot be found or cannot be loaded.

See also:

- `getInstance()`
- `Locale.getDefault(java.util.Locale.Category)`
- `Locale.Category.FORMAT`

### DateFormatSymbols

    public DateFormatSymbols (Locale locale)

Construct a DateFormatSymbols object by loading format data from resources for the given locale. It is recommended that the `getInstance` method is used instead.

Parameters
`locale` | `Locale`: the desired locale

Throws
`MissingResourceException` | if the resources for the specified locale cannot be found or cannot be loaded.

See also:

- `getInstance(Locale)`

## Public methods

### clone

    public Object clone ()

Overrides Cloneable

Returns
`Object` | a clone of this instance.

### equals

    public boolean equals (Object obj)

Override equals

Parameters
`obj` | `Object`: the reference object with which to compare.

Returns
`boolean` | `true` if this object is the same as the obj argument; `false` otherwise.

### getAmPmStrings

    public String[] getAmPmStrings ()

Gets ampm strings. For example: "AM" and "PM".

Returns
`String[]` | the ampm strings.

### getAvailableLocales

    public static Locale[] getAvailableLocales ()

Returns an array of all locales for which the `getInstance` methods of this class can return localized instances.

Returns
`Locale[]` | An array of locales for which localized `DateFormatSymbols` instances are available.

### getEras

    public String[] getEras ()

Gets era strings. For example: "AD" and "BC".

Returns
`String[]` | the era strings.

### getInstance

    public static final DateFormatSymbols getInstance ()

Gets the `DateFormatSymbols` instance for the default locale.

This is equivalent to calling `getInstance(Locale.getDefault(Locale.Category.FORMAT))`.

Returns
`DateFormatSymbols` | a `DateFormatSymbols` instance.

See also:

- `Locale.getDefault(java.util.Locale.Category)`
- `Locale.Category.FORMAT`

### getInstance

    public static final DateFormatSymbols getInstance (Locale locale)

Gets the `DateFormatSymbols` instance for the specified locale.

Parameters
`locale` | `Locale`: the given locale.

Returns
`DateFormatSymbols` | a `DateFormatSymbols` instance.

Throws
`NullPointerException` | if `locale` is null

### getLocalPatternChars

    public String getLocalPatternChars ()

Gets localized date-time pattern characters. For example: 'u', 't', etc.

Returns
`String` | the localized date-time pattern characters.

### getMonths

    public String[] getMonths ()

Gets month strings. For example: "January", "February", etc.

If the language requires different forms for formatting and stand-alone usages, this method returns month names in the formatting form. For example, the preferred month name for January in the Czech language is ledna in the formatting form, while it is leden in the stand-alone form. This method returns `"ledna"` in this case. Refer to the Calendar Elements in the Unicode Locale Data Markup Language (LDML) specification for more details.

Returns
`String[]` | the month strings.

### getShortMonths

    public String[] getShortMonths ()

Gets short month strings. For example: "Jan", "Feb", etc.

If the language requires different forms for formatting and stand-alone usages, This method returns short month names in the formatting form. For example, the preferred abbreviation for January in the Catalan language is de gen. in the formatting form, while it is gen. in the stand-alone form. This method returns `"de gen."` in this case. Refer to the Calendar Elements in the Unicode Locale Data Markup Language (LDML) specification for more details.

Returns
`String[]` | the short month strings.

### getShortWeekdays

    public String[] getShortWeekdays ()

Gets short weekday strings. For example: "Sun", "Mon", etc.

Returns
`String[]` | the short weekday strings. Use `Calendar.SUNDAY`, `Calendar.MONDAY`, etc. to index the result array.

### getWeekdays

    public String[] getWeekdays ()

Gets weekday strings. For example: "Sunday", "Monday", etc.

Returns
`String[]` | the weekday strings. Use `Calendar.SUNDAY`, `Calendar.MONDAY`, etc. to index the result array.

### getZoneStrings

    public String[][] getZoneStrings ()

Gets time zone strings. Use of this method is discouraged; use `TimeZone.getDisplayName()` instead.

The value returned is a two-dimensional array of strings of size n by m, where m is at least 5. Each of the n rows is an entry containing the localized names for a single `TimeZone`. Each such row contains (with `i` ranging from 0..n-1):

- `zoneStrings[i][0]` - time zone ID
- `zoneStrings[i][1]` - long name of zone in standard time
- `zoneStrings[i][2]` - short name of zone in standard time
- `zoneStrings[i][3]` - long name of zone in daylight saving time
- `zoneStrings[i][4]` - short name of zone in daylight saving time

The zone ID is not localized; it's one of the valid IDs of the `TimeZone` class that are not custom IDs. All other entries are localized names. If a zone does not implement daylight saving time, the daylight saving time names should not be used.

If `setZoneStrings` has been called on this `DateFormatSymbols` instance, then the strings provided by that call are returned. Otherwise, the returned array contains names provided by the runtime.

Returns
`String[][]` | the time zone strings.

See also:

- `setZoneStrings(String[][])`

### hashCode

    public int hashCode ()

Override hashCode. Generates a hash code for the DateFormatSymbols object.

Returns
`int` | a hash code value for this object.

### setAmPmStrings

    public void setAmPmStrings (String[] newAmpms)

Sets ampm strings. For example: "AM" and "PM".

Parameters
`newAmpms` | `String`: the new ampm strings.

### setEras

    public void setEras (String[] newEras)

Sets era strings. For example: "AD" and "BC".

Parameters
`newEras` | `String`: the new era strings.

### setLocalPatternChars

    public void setLocalPatternChars (String newLocalPatternChars)

Sets localized date-time pattern characters. For example: 'u', 't', etc.

Parameters
`newLocalPatternChars` | `String`: the new localized date-time pattern characters.

### setMonths

    public void setMonths (String[] newMonths)

Sets month strings. For example: "January", "February", etc.

Parameters
`newMonths` | `String`: the new month strings.

### setShortMonths

    public void setShortMonths (String[] newShortMonths)

Sets short month strings. For example: "Jan", "Feb", etc.

Parameters
`newShortMonths` | `String`: the new short month strings.

### setShortWeekdays

    public void setShortWeekdays (String[] newShortWeekdays)

Sets short weekday strings. For example: "Sun", "Mon", etc.

Parameters
`newShortWeekdays` | `String`: the new short weekday strings. The array should be indexed by `Calendar.SUNDAY`, `Calendar.MONDAY`, etc.

### setWeekdays

    public void setWeekdays (String[] newWeekdays)

Sets weekday strings. For example: "Sunday", "Monday", etc.

Parameters
`newWeekdays` | `String`: the new weekday strings. The array should be indexed by `Calendar.SUNDAY`, `Calendar.MONDAY`, etc.

### setZoneStrings

    public void setZoneStrings (String[][] newZoneStrings)

Sets time zone strings. The argument must be a two-dimensional array of strings of size n by m, where m is at least 5. Each of the n rows is an entry containing the localized names for a single `TimeZone`. Each such row contains (with `i` ranging from 0..n-1):

- `zoneStrings[i][0]` - time zone ID
- `zoneStrings[i][1]` - long name of zone in standard time
- `zoneStrings[i][2]` - short name of zone in standard time
- `zoneStrings[i][3]` - long name of zone in daylight saving time
- `zoneStrings[i][4]` - short name of zone in daylight saving time

The zone ID is not localized; it's one of the valid IDs of the `TimeZone` class that are not custom IDs. All other entries are localized names.

Parameters
`newZoneStrings` | `String`: the new time zone strings.

Throws
`IllegalArgumentException` | if the length of any row in `newZoneStrings` is less than 5
`NullPointerException` | if `newZoneStrings` is null

See also:

- `getZoneStrings()`

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